Method and apparatus for shipping metal



` Y Jan. .28, 1930. 4 R,T ROM1NE 1,745,056

I SHlPPING METAL Filed May l1. 1928 2 sheets-sheet 1 man l BY MQQMMSLM Jan. 28, 1930.

R. T. ROMINE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHIPPING METAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May ll, 1928 Patented Jan. 28, l1930 UNITED STATES ROBERT T. ROMINE, OF MOUNT CLEMENS, MICHIGAN METHOD-AND APPARATUS FOR SHIPPING METAIi Application led May 11,

-This invention relates particularly to a method and apparatus for shipping material, such as sheet, strip or bar met-al, in packs4 on the fioor of a freight car or carrier.

5 y An object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus embodying and taking advantage of the invention covered by my Patent N o. 1,650,540, yet having certain features in the arrangement and manner of .10 supporting and guiding the packs during their movement on the car Hoor which may be advantageously and economically employed.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 177,005, filed March 21, 1927.

Other` objects of this invention will appear in' the following description and appended claims. In the accompanying drawings like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views. "e

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating two packs of sheet metal, one with the sheets Hatwise and the other With-the sheets on edge, loaded for shipment in accordance with the invention. l

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a pack loaded for shipment with the sheets flat.

Fig. 3 is an end view ofthe construction shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of a pack loaded for shipment with the sheets on edge.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 4.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawv ings, since the invention is'capable of other 40 embodiments and of being practised or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of .description and not of limitation, and it is not intended lto limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims hereto appended or the requirements of the prior art. In the drawings I have shown by way of example, the shipment of sheet metal, such 50 as sheet steel, although the invention is also 1928. Serial No. 276,880. .l

adapted to be employed in shipping strip or bar metal for example. In .the case of sheet metal, the packs may be supported and bound on the car floor with the sheetson edge, as shown at the right in Figure l and in Figures 4 and 5, or may be transported with the metal sheets packed flatwise, as shown at the left in vFigure l and in Figures 2 and 3. y The packs of metal are usually -disposed at opposite ends of the car, and in the present instance each pack is supported on the car oor through the medium of pallet members or riding blocks or beams, preferably of wood. Each pack is bound or braced together as a unit, carriedon the supporting members, and 6? is heldthereto sol that the pack and its support will be allowed to shiftor float on the car floor' to compensate for shocks orl colli- 'sions to vwhich the car is subjected in transit.

In the present case I have shown rigid frame or yoke binders for binding the metal sheets together on the supporting pallet members, this binder being shown in my above mentioned patent and being better adapted to maint-ain the sheets together, as well as having other advantages. The constituent sheets or parts of the bundle may be bound by means of* other types of bindlng means, such as shown in my Patents No. 1,644,278 and No.

1,668,530, or by means of band steel binders which may be nailed to the shiftable pallet members and act as a medium for securing the same together.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 the pack M, with the sheets disposed flatwise, is bound together such as by binders B which are fully shown and described in my Patent No. 1,650,- 540. These binders comprise yoke frames carrying screw pressure devices 13. Interposed between the devices 13 andthe longi- 9 tudinal edges of the metal sheets are wood members or strips 14 which are pressed against these edges and resist by friction relative movement of the sheets, also holdingthe pack together as a unit on the pallet through the medium of the binders, as in my above Patent No. 1,650,540. The pack in this instance is disposed on laterally spaced` pallet or supporting members comprising a pair of spaced parallel beams or skid blocks 9. 10

The opposite ends of these skid members are preferably beveled at 9a. Mounted on these members 9 are a series of transverseconnecting members, which in the present instance are in the form of Wood members or blocks 1.0 nailed thereto at 11. The construction of this pallet may be the same as shown in my above mentioned copending application, Serial Number 177,005, filed March 21, 1927.

The binders are held or secured firmly to the pallet, which is accomplished in this case by holding or pinching the frame of each binder B between a pair of cross members 10 bers 14 results in a binding action and assists in resisting relative movement of the sheets,

also helping to hold the pack and pallettogether through the medium of the binders. Moreover the binder and members 10a and 10h transmit any movement of the pack to the longitudinal pallet members 9.

As in my Patent No. 1,650,540 the pack and its-support are guided in their floating or shifting movements longitudinally of the car, resulting in maintaining the packs in predetermined positions with respect to the sides of the, car. In this instance the guides are located within the areal occupied by the'pack on the car floor. A pair of Wood beams 12 are nailed to the car floor and extend longitudinally thereof along the inner edges of the pallet members 9 preferably in substantial engagement therewith. vThese guide members may have less depth than the pallet skid members 9 so as not to interfere with the transverse connecting members 10 which span the skid members.

Referring to Figures 4 and' 5 the metal vsheets in this embodiment are transported with the sheets of each pack resting on their edges in upright or vertical planes. As in the previous embodiment the pack M may be bound by binders, such as binders B which carry pressure devices 13. Interposed between these pressure devices at ,the side and top of the pack areNwood strips 14, the wood strips at the top of the pack being forced or pressed against the longitudinal edges of the sheets and frictionally resist movement of the sheets. The same binding and frictional action is obtained through engagement of the lower edges of the metal sheets with the relatively softer wood members of the pallets.

The pack in this case is disposed on a pair of independent or separate longitudinally spaced pallets C and D. Each palletcomprises spaced longitudinal skid members 15 having their opposite ends beveled at 16. The

A members 15 are connected together through the medium of a pair of cross members -17- positioned so as to clamp or engage opposite sides of the binder frame. In this way the binder is secured to the skid members 15 through the medium of connecting parts 17.

Both pallets C and D are guided in coinmon by guide members 12, preferably wood, secured to the car floor and running along the inner edges of the skid members 15 of the pallets C and D, and preferably in substantial engagement therewith. Thus it will be seen that the pallets C and D will be held to the pack as a unit, the constituent parts or sheets of the pack will in turn be held together as a unit, and the pallets C and D will be guided in a common path and in predetermined spaced relation from the side walls or side edges of the car by the guides 12.

Moreover, the separate pallets C and D have the important advantage of permitting a. degree of flexibility in the supporting of the pack which will accommodate flexing or bowing of the car floor when the car receives a severe blow. Where a single unitary pallet is employed, the flexing of the car floor imposes a severe transverse strain on the pallet which tends to disconnect the cross members of the pallet shown in my Patent No. 1,650,540 by snapping or breaking the longitudinal connecting members, or flexing the various members so as to separate them where nailed together. This may result in causing the parts of the pallet to spread or shift relatively to each other so that the pack may not be properly supported. By using two or a plurality of longitudinally spaced separate pallets these disadvantages are avoided.

By disposing the guides 12 inside of the longitudinal pallet members 15 or 9 it will be seen that they will be located within the area occupied by the pack. This is an advantage under certain conditions such as in shipping wide packs. It is also an advantage when using the stack lifter illustrated in my above patents, as it is then not necessary to rst remove the guides from the car floor before pushing the arched frame of the stack lifter or crane intoposition to straddle the pack and lift it from the car floor. The crane or stack lifter can in the present case be run directly into )osition over the pack, with the casters thereof travelling at opposite sides of the pallet without interference from guide members, thereby effecting a saving in unloading time, since in the present instance the guides can remain on the ear floor or be removed after unloading the packs from the car.

1t will be understood that the packs are preferably loaded and unloaded in mass units, without separately handling the constituent parts of the packs. These steps in the handling of the packs are preferably the same as illustrated in my Patent No. 1,650,540 when employing the 'type of binder shown in said patent. The packs, moreover, may be arranged in the manner shown in my Patent `No. 1,668,530, and unloaded or loaded in accordance with said patent. It should be understood, however, that the point at which the packs are bound is not material to the present invention, since obviously the-packs may be bound in situ instead of before being placed in the car, as described in the above identified patents. Although the specification describes the binding of the pack before it is located in the car, and the lclaims refer to this step in such order, it is to be understood that they are intended to cover the method, Whether the binding operation takes place before the introduction of the pack int-o the car or thereafter, and the sequence of steps as given in the claims is not a material part of the present invention or an essential feature of the claims. The guides 12 will likewise in such instance be positioned so as to engage and guide the longitudinal supporting blocks for the packs positioned crossWise on the car floor, as shown in a copending application of mine.

What I claim is:

1. The method of transporting metal on the floor of a freight car for transportation in packs, which comprises binding the pack and supporting the pack on a plurality of separate supporting units free to shift on the car floor.

2. The method of transporting metal on the floor of a freight car for transportation in packs, which comprises binding the pack, supporting the pack on a pluralityT of separate supporting units free to shift on the car floor, and guiding said pack and supporting units in a predetermined path during their movements on the car floor.

3. The method of transporting metal in packs on the floor of a freight car, consisting in supporting the pack on separate supporting pallets spaced longitudinally of the car and free to shift on the car oor, and maintaining the pack as a unit on said pallets.

4. The method of transporting metal in packs on the floor of a freight car, consisting in supporting the pack on separate supporting pallets spaced longitudinally of the car and free to shift on the car Hoor, main taining the pack as a unit on said pallets, and guiding said pallets at opposite sides thereof in their movements.longitudinally ofthe car.

5. The method of transporting metal in packs on the tioor of a freight car, consisting in binding the pack and maintaining and supporting it on a pair of spaced Wood supports free to shift on the car floor and with the pack spanning said supports.

6. The method of transporting metal in packs on the floor of a freight car, consisting in binding the pack andmaintaining and supporting it on a pair of spaced Wood supports free to shift on the car floor and with the pack spanning said supports, and guiding said pack and Wood supports longitudinally of the car. Y

7. The method of transporting metal in packs on the floor of a freight car, consisting in binding the pack and holding and supporting it on a pair of spaced Wood supports free to shift on the car floor and with the pack spanning said supports, and directly guiding said supports within the area of the pack.

8. The method of transporting metal'in packs on the floor of a freight car which consists in binding the pack and holding and supporting it on spaced pairs of Wood supports extending longitudinally of the car and free to shift on the car floor and With the pack spanning said supports.

9. The method of transporting metal in packs on the floor of a freight car, Which consists in binding the pack, and holding it on a plurality of separate supporting units free to shift on the car floor, and directly guiding said support-ing units Within the area of the pack during their movements on the car Hoor.

10. An apparatus for transporting metal, such as sheet metal, in a pack on the floor of a freight car, comprising a pair of separate unitary supports disposed beneath the pack with the pack spanning them, and means for maintaining the pack and supports together as a unit.

11. An apparatus for transporting metal, such as sheet metal, in a pack on the floor of a freight car, comprising a pair of separate unitary supports spaced longitudinally of the car and disposed beneath the pack with the pack spanning them, and means for maintaining the pack and supports together as a unit- 12. An apparatus for transporting metal, such' as sheet metal, in a pack on the ioor of a freight car, comprising a pair of separate unitary supports disposedbeneath the pack with the pack spanning them, said supports being free to shift on the car floor, means for binding the pack, and means for maintaining the pack and supports together as a unit.

13. An apparatus for transporting metal in a pack on the floor of a freight car, comprising a pair of separate unitary supports disposed beneath the pack With the pack spanning' them and free -to shift on the car floor, means for binding the pack, and guides on the car floor for guiding said supportsin a predetermined path longitudinally ofthe car. Y

14. An apparatus for. transporting metal in a pack on the floor of a freight car, comprising a par of separate unitary supports disposed beneath the pack With the pack spanning them and free to shift on the car floor, means for binding vthe pack, means for securing the pack and supports together, and means for guiding the pack and supports as a unit longitudinally of the car.

15. In an apparatus for transporting metal in packs on the oor o f a freight car, the

combination of a pair of spaced parallel members free to move on the car floor longitudinally thereof, means for binding the pack and for securing the members together, and spaced parallel guides secured to the car floor along the inner edges of said members and located Within the area of the pack.

16. In an apparatus for transporting metal in packs on the floor of a freight car, the combination of a pair of spaced members extending longitudinally of the car and free to move on the car floor longitudinally thereof, cross members connecting said first members together, means for maintaining the pack and said members together as a unit, and spaced parallel guides secured to the car floor beneath said cross members and extending along the inner edges of said parallel members.

17. In an apparatus for transporting metal, such as sheet metal, in a pack on the floor of a freight car, the combination of a pair of spaced parallel members free to move' on the car Hoor longitudinally thereof, means for binding the pack, and spaced parallel uides secured to the car floor along the inner edges of said members.'

18. In an apparatus for transporting metal, such as sheet metal, in a pack on the floor of a freight car, the combination of spaced longitudinal members supporting the pack and free to move longitudinally on the car floor, means for maintaining the constituent parts of the pack together While supported on said members, and longitudinal guides secured to the car floor along edges of said members.

19. In an apparatus for transporting metal,.such as sheet metal, in a pack on the floor of a freight car, the combination of spaced longitudinal members supporting the pack and free to move longitudinally on the car floor when the ear is subjected to shocks or blows in transit, means for maintaining the constituent parts of thepack together as a unit, and a longitudinal guide secured to the car floor along an edge of a member.

20. The herein described method of transporting sheet metal in a freight car Which consists in binding the metal together in a pack, supporting the pack by means interosed between the pack and car floor which includes members extending longitudinally of the car, While permitting the pack and means to shift on the car floor during transit, and guiding said means in its movement by arranging on the inner sides of said members a guide means rigid with the car fioor.

21. The herein described method of transporting sheet metal in a freight car which consists in binding the metal together in a pack, supporting the pack by means interosed between the pack and car floor which includes members extending longitudinally of the car, while permitting thepack and means to shift on the car floor during transit and resisting relative movement of the pack and means, and guiding said means in its movement by arranging on the inner sides of said members a guide means rigid with the car floor.

22. The herein described method of transporting sheet metal in a freight car which consists in binding the metal together in a pack, supporting the pack by means interposed between the pack and car floor which includes members extending longitudinally of the car, While permitting the pack and means to shift on the car :[ioor during transit and resisting relative movement of the pack and means, and guiding said means in its movement by arranging on the inner sides of said members beneath the pack a guide means rigid wth the car floor.

23. The herein described method of transporting sheet metal in a freight car which consists in binding the metal together in a pack, supporting the pack by means interposed between the same and the car floor and including a member extending longitudinally of the car, resisting relative movement of the pack and saidmeans while permitting the ROBERT T. ROMINE. 

